mrswdk wrote:The poor, down-trodden proletariat collectively have enough votes that they can deny political power to any politicians who put the wishes of on rich lobbyist over the wishes of the general electorate. However, they don't. They keep on voting for those politicians. Which sure sounds like a big 'we don't really care' to me.
It might be a "we don't care". It's a really scary time we are living in. All over the world, people are choosing to give up fundamental freedoms. All over the world, totalitarianism is on the rise. I don't understand how in the internet era, polled Russians can say they don't give 2 shits about Ukraine but then a month later when the troops roll in, Russians "deeply care" about Ukraine. It's like watching yourself in a puppet show.
I do understand how the American situation is unfolding. Basically, the American middle class doesn't realize it is being eaten away at. They are in a kind of stupor, as if Conquer Stars represent an increase in the quality of life.
On the other hand, the march against modernity that is politics in most countries isn't entirely unappealing to me. The best possible outcome is thermonuclear warfare. Right now I am at the right age, with enough skills, resources and contacts to capitalize on this. I also don't have enough to lose, as I simply am not old enough to have acquired piles of material goods.
Basically, everyone who doesn't support nukes wants me to live a suboptimal life.
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On an entirely different note, my question is how do you find a politician who will not put the interests of lobbyists over general electorate? It seems like a rather inpractical thing. The problem isn't the politicians. I doubt very many of them wake up and say "How can I do what is not in the public's interest today?". The problem is systemic, in that there isn't a reasonable system in place to evaluate policies. All the think tanks create noise, noise, noise. The only real political check is losing for 4 years. Not a biggie (yes, in Washington terms it is; but not really).
This stems down to American culture. It's not only the politicians. There is not a single thing in American culture which holds people accountable for their actions. For those of you skimming:
There is not a single thing in American culture which holds people accountable for their actions. I drive a truck at work. If I run somebody over, it's not an automatic firing (it happens all the time lol). Instead my employer's insurance company pays the person/vehicle's insurance company. Doesn't that seem totally fucked to you? If it doesn't, you are the worst part of American society. You ruined it for the rest of us.
Men are abandoning children all over the place, people are getting tatoos, animals are being abandoned. Of the 13 billion birds in North America, 5 billion are killed every year by
F. domesticus. Who has been punished for this? What system even exists to ask that question? Instead of responsibility, we have liability.
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I would propose an every 12 years accountability fest. Basically, everyone registers as they vote. A random punishment is drawn and that's what they get. Punishments run from acquittals, to being locked in a factory chicken-farm with a barely sublethal dose of LSD; to dismemberment and death; to fines and prison time.
You probably did something wrong in the preceding 12 years. The twin gods of Luck and Chance will know what punishment you deserve. Really, 95% of the choices should be genital mutilation, for those of you who voted for either Bush or Obama. However, I am willing to concede this point.
Please note that I am fully in favor of US invading Canada prior to this implementation. It would make smokes a lot cheaper.
